tasks.json npm script does not work with arguments since 1.53

[xmedeko]

• VSCode Version: 1.53.0
• OS Version: Windows 10

Steps to Reproduce:

I have a npm task (tasks.json):

{
    "label": "test:web current file",
    "type": "npm",
    "script": "test:web -- suites=\"${relativeFileDirname}/${fileBasenameNoExtension}\"",
}

It has been working fine until I have upgraded to 1.53. Since then, I got error:

The terminal process "C:\WINDOWS\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe -Command npm run 'test:web -- suites="tests\dir\File"'" terminated with exit code: 1.

Seems to me v1.53 has added shell escaping. So, how I can add arguments to a task npm?

Also, I am miss information about additional npm tasks properties in

• https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/editor/tasks
• https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/editor/tasks-appendix

Does this issue occur when all extensions are disabled?: Yes

[alexr00]

I didn't realize users were adding args to npm tasks in tasks.json. Looks like the only way to support npm scripts with spaces and npm scripts with args is to add support for the --.

[xmedeko]

@alexr00 Or, support args property and join the result properly: npm run script -- arg1 arg2 ...

[xmedeko]

@alexr00 You have probably forgotten your older comment with a npm script params #82626 (comment) 😉

[alexr00]

Indeed, I had forgotten that, thank you. Since this used to work and now does not, I'd like to fix it.

[xmedeko]

@alexr00 Is your commit a4a6607 working for #113750 particularly for the "[test] unit --watch" script name?

[alexr00]

No. As a user you can either have the old behavior where we support arguments, or you can have the new behavior where script names have spaces.

[xmedeko]

I am happy with the "old behavior where we support arguments". You should ask @jonamat if he is happy with breaking #113750

That's why I have proposed to add args instead (working with other task types already). Or maybe some explicit flag to switch the behavior - not to relay on the presence of -- in the script param. These automagic behaviour changes may be very confusing when not documented. (I have pointed lack of documentation before). So, if you want it keep it this way, it would be helpful to improve the documentation.

[xmedeko]

I have converted type npm to shell:

{
    "label": "test:web current file",
    "type": "shell",
    "command": "npm",
    "argv": [ "run", "test:web", "--", "suites=\"${relativeFileDirname}/${fileBasenameNoExtension}\"" ]
}

And it does the job well. IMHO either type npm is redundant, or it should behave similarly to the type shell (i.e. user argv array).

[alexr00]

The fix for this bug allows the following:

• You can have an npm script where the script name has spaces (the feature request of vscode does not run npm script names with whitespaces #113750)
  OR
• You can use -- in your npm script in tasks.json to pass argument to your script.

The fix for this bug does not allow you have a task that uses an npm script with a space and the --. Certainly having an args property would be better. But this is a case of something worked by happy accident (allowing arguments in npm scripts) and now we would prefer not to break the users who depend on it.

[xmedeko]

OK, just such automagic behaviour may be very confusing when not documented. Please, document the type: npm and the script property:

https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/editor/tasks - For a custom task, this can either be shell or process. - No npm there, no doc for script, etc.
https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/editor/tasks-appendix - type: 'shell' | 'process'; - No npm there, no doc for script, etc.

It's difficult to find what's a proper behaviour and what is a bug without doc.